Hurricane Michael: Out Of Nowhere

Hurricane Michael was 390 miles south of Panama City, Fl., at 5 a.m. ET this morning, moving north-northwest at 12 mph with sustained winds of 90 mph.

Michael battered parts of Mexico and Cuba with powerful winds and drenching rain on Sunday and into early Monday (local time).

Forecasters say the storm could dump as much as 30 centimeters of rain in western Cuba, triggering life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

The storm is on track to become a hurricane on Monday, bringing heavy rain to the western tip of Cuba, before making landfall on the northeastern Gulf Coast on Wednesday. The Florida Highway Patrol is pre-deploying 100 State Troopers to the Panhandle and Big Bend area of Florida in preparation for Hurricane Michael.

The governor declared a state of emergency, which included Tampa Bay, and he said he asked President Donald Trump to declare a pre-landfall disaster to free up federal resources.

Category four hurricanes cause catastrophic wind damage and hold sustained winds speeds between 130 and 156 miles per hour.

Carpenter said Beaufort County residents should stay informed and prepare for the storm's potential impact. "Impacts from Hurricane Michael along the Florida Panhandle will include a unsafe storm surge, flooding rainfall and damaging winds". Based on the latest analysis from the NHC, surge inundation flooding of 9 to 13 feet is possible in vulnerable areas between Mexico Beach and Keaton Beach.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey declared an emergency for the entire state on Monday, anticipating wind damage, heavy rains and power outages.

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The category-1 hurricane left dozens dead in the Carolinas and is estimated to have caused billions of dollars in damage. Cedar Key to Chassahowitzka could see storm surge topping out between 4 to 6 feet.

"In July when I was out of state my garage flooded for the first time, the house is 26 years old", said Tallahassee resident Gwen Spivey.

"There is a real possibility that Michael will strengthen to a major hurricane before landfall" after it spends the next two to three days over the Gulf of Mexico, which has very warm temperatures and favorable atmospheric conditions, Robbie Berg, a hurricane specialist with the NHC, wrote in an advisory. "This storm has the potential to bring devastating impacts to communities across the Panhandle and Big Bend and every family must be prepared".

Michael set to come ashore across Florida on Wednesday with 120 miles per hour winds as a Category 3 storm.

"Today it is about life and safety", Gillum said. The city of Pensacola tweeted to residents, "Be sure you have your emergency plan in place". Rain coverage will begin to expand into the region Wednesday, with the heaviest rain likely Thursday into Friday morning.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has also designated 40 law-enforcement officers for rapid deployment.